Conventionally, as a method for forming a desired concavo-convex layer or a three-dimensional object, a method for cutting a material using an engraving machine, or the like, and a method for stacking materials, such as a hardening resin and a gypsum, are known. In a case in which the concavo-convex layer or the three-dimensional object, such as a relief and a figure, formed in this manner is used for the purpose of viewing, or the like, the surface characteristics of the shape, such as a sharpness and a smoothness, greatly affect the appearance of the layer or the object to viewers and the viewers' impression.
Further, a method for forming an image by performing printing on a surface of a three-dimensional object is also known. For example, a method for printing an image in advance on a dedicated sheet by using a printing apparatus, such as an offset printing apparatus, and pasting the sheet onto the target three-dimensional object, a method for ejecting color materials directly to a three-dimensional object by using the ink jet printing system, etc., are known. In a case in which an image is formed on the surface of a three-dimensional object, as described above, the shape characteristics also greatly affect the appearance of the layer or the object to viewers and the viewers' impression.
In forming a concavo-convex layer and a three-dimensional object, a method for obtaining a hard copy that represents a stereoscopic effect and a texture by forming a concavo-convex layer and an image substantially at the same time by using the ink jet printing system has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-299058). With such a hard copy, there is a case in which a desired concavo-convex layer is not obtained due to the accuracy of an output apparatus and characteristics, such as the surface tension and wet spreading, of the material forming the concavo-convex layer.
As the main output characteristics of an apparatus, a Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) representing the response characteristics in accordance with an input frequency is widely known. As a typical example of the MTF characteristics, there is a deterioration of the response of the high-frequency component. This is a phenomenon in which, in a case in which a waveform having a certain difference in height is input, for example, a sinusoidal wave is input, at low frequencies, the same difference in height as that of the input is obtained, but as the frequency increases, the difference in height is reduced.
In a case in which such a phenomenon occurs, the sharpness of the surface of concavo-convex layer will be lost, and the way an output object appears will be greatly affected. Regarding this point, a technique to compensate for the MTF characteristics by applying filter processing to an image is known in the field of image processing. It is possible to expect to suppress a deterioration of a concavo-convex layer by similarly performing MTF correction in forming the concavo-convex layer.